37

Matt Ellis (LW)

Rochester Americans

Biography

ACQUIRED
Claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Sabres from the Los Angeles Kings on October 1, 2008. Re-signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract with Buffalo on July 3, 2013.

LAST SEASON2013-14: Spent the second half of the season in Buffalo, where he collected six points (4+2) and four PIM in 50 games with the Sabres… Scored five goals and assisted on five others for 10 points in 25 games for the Rochester Americans (AHL)… Scored in Buffalo’s 4-2 win over Winnipeg on 12/17, his first NHL goal since Jan. 13, 2012… Served as team captain until recalled by Buffalo on 12/14… Notched two points (1+1) and scored the game-winning goal on his first-ever shootout attempt in the sixth round en route to first star honors against Lake Erie at the Frozen Frontier on 12/13… Appeared in his 400th AHL game in his return to Grand Rapids on 12/06… Scored his first goal of the season and added an assist against Toronto on 10/18… Made season debut vs. Grand Rapids on 10/04

CAREER2012-13: Finished the regular season in Rochester, where he amassed 12 points on seven goals and five assists in 32 games… Ranked fourth on the team with a +6 on-ice rating… Appeared in all three postseason contests with the Amerks, notching two PIM… Made his Amerks playoff debut in Game 1 of the Western Conference Quarterfinals at Toronto on 4/27… Recorded his 200th AHL point as well as his 300th pro point with a goal at Hamilton on 4/21… Named Amerks team captain on 3/19… Appeared in his 700th professional game at Toronto on 3/16… Had a four-game goal-scoring streak from 3/09 to 3/15… Netted a goal and was +1 against Abbotsford on 3/10 to earn first star honors… Scored his first goal as an Amerk at Binghamton on 3/09… Recorded his first point as an Amerk with an assist against Syracuse on 2/26… Made his home debut against Houston on 2/15… Skated 13:36 in his Amerks debut at Lake Erie on 2/12… Loaned to Rochester from the Buffalo Sabres (NHL) on 2/11… Appeared in six games with the Sabres prior to joining the Amerks… 2011-12: Recorded eight points on three goals and five assists in 60 games with Buffalo… Missed 13 games (3/12-4/07) with a lower body injury… Recorded an assist in consecutive games at Vancouver on 3/03 and at Winnipeg on 3/05… Logged a season-high 16:35 TOI at New Jersey on 1/24… Scored a goal vs. Ottawa on 11/11, his first since 3/16/10… Notched an assist in his first game of the season against Tampa Bay on 10/25… 2010-11: Earned three NHL recalls from the Buffalo Sabres and skated in 14 regular season games and one postseason game with the big club… Recorded six points (1+5) in 11 Calder Cup Playoff appearances… Played the majority of the season with the Portland Pirates (AHL), notching 31 points (10+21) in 52 games… Accounted for four of his tallies on the power-play… Skated in 200th career NHL game vs. Philadelphia on 4/08… Missed 13 games due to injury (2/13-3/12)… Skated in 600th career professional game at Ottawa on 1/25… Registered 100th AHL assist at Providence on 11/28… Earned his 150th professional assist at Manchester on 11/27… Recorded an assist in his 300th career AHL game vs. Manchester on 10/19… Selected as the 13th captain in Pirates franchise history… 2009-10: Spent the whole campaign with Buffalo, dressing for 72 games and registering 13 points (3+10) in his second full NHL season… Appeared in three Stanley Cup Playoff contests and scored his first NHL playoff goal in the first period of Game 2 vs. Boston on 4/17… Notched two assists in the Sabres 6-2 win over Florida on 3/31… 2008-09: Played half the season in Buffalo, where he registered 12 points (7+5) and 12 PIM in 45 games over two NHL promotions to the Sabres… Scored a single-game career-high three points with two goals and an assist at Boston on 1/03… Claimed off waivers by the Buffalo Sabres from the Los Angeles Kings on 10/01 and made his Sabres debut on 10/15 against the NY Rangers… Skated in 12 games with Portland… 2007-08: Split first full NHL season between Los Angeles and Detroit, totaling eight points (3+5) in 54 combined games… Scored his first goal as a member of the Kings on 3/13 after being claimed off waivers by Los Angeles from Detroit on 2/21… Scored his first career NHL goal at San Jose on 10/18… Recorded his first career NHL point with an assist at Anaheim on 10/15… 2006-07: Appeared in 16 games with Detroit, recording six penalty minutes… Made his NHL debut for the Detroit Red Wings on 12/18 in a 4–3 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets... Posted his best season as a pro with career-highs in goals (26) and points (49) in 65 games with the Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL)… Finished second overall on the team in scoring… Led the Griffins in goals (26), power-play goals (10) and shorthanded goals (five), which were also tied for the most in the AHL… Had a team and league-best 256 shots on goal to finish eighth among league leaders in that category… Paced Grand Rapids in postseason scoring at a point-per-game rate with seven points (4+3) in seven games… 2005-06: Chipped in five points (4+1) in 16 playoff appearances for Grand Rapids (AHL)… Reached the 20-goal plateau for the first time in his pro career… Finished the campaign with 48 points, including career-highs in both assists (28) and penalty minutes (61) in 74 games with Grand Rapids… Named the youngest captain in Grand Rapids team history at the age of 24… 2004-05: Was the Griffins’ fifth-best player after producing 41 points (18+23) in all but one game… Tied the Grand Rapids Griffins’ franchise record for shorthanded goals in a season with four… First player in Grand Rapids history to net two shorthanded goals in a home game vs. Hamilton on 3/12… 2003-04: Played his first full AHL season with Grand Rapids, notching 15 points (5+10) in 64 games… Registered his first AHL point with an assist on the game-winning goal against the Utah Grizzlies on 10/24… 2002-03: Made his professional debut with the ECHL’s Toledo Storm… Skated in a team-high 71 games and ranked first in goals (27), second in points (59) and third in assists (32)… Collected a team-high eight points (3+5) in seven games during the 2003 ECHL Playoffs… 2001-02: Had a breakout final junior season with the Toronto St. Michael’s Majors (OHL)… Captured junior career-highs in goals (38), assists (51), points (89) and plus/minus (plus-47)… Led the Majors with six shorthanded goals and 15 power-play goals… Finished second on the team in scoring, averaging 1.35 points per game… Ranked second in the OHL in plus/minus, tied for 13th in goals, tied for eighth in power-play goals, 14th in assists and tied for 11th in points… 2000-01: Concluded the 2001 Playoffs with 12 points (4+8) in 18 games, second most among Majors skaters… Among Toronto’s top five performers during the regular season with 45 points (21+24)… Skated in all 68 games, scoring six power-play tallies and closing the campaign with a plus-10 on-ice rating… Was first on the team and tied for fifth in the league with three shorthanded assists… 1999-00: Had a productive sophomore year with Toronto, accounting for 35 points (15+20) in 59 appearances… 1998-99: Registered 18 points (10+8) in 47 games with Toronto in his rookie season